News

(Are you going to be juggling things until Friday to see who’s going to play?)
I feel that’s a very good observation. It’s going to take the week’s work to get to the 45. We’re trying to work the different combinations that you do every week as far as the ability to get in and out of different personnel groups on both offense and defense. Defense has just been so up in the air the whole season and this week is no different, and that directly carries over to special teams. So we’re just trying to get as many guys ready as we possibly can.

(Adam Schefter reported that Nick Barnett is done for the season. Is that what the first opinion was and that’s why you’re getting a second opinion?)
There’s been no decision on Nick Barnett being done for the season. It’s a matter of opinions of the two doctors that are going to be involved. Nick is en route today and he’ll be examined tomorrow, and we’ll have more information. We’re not ready to make a decision. Now, will we tomorrow? I’m really waiting on the information that’s going to come out of this visit.

(What are you thinking at the outside linebacker spot where you’ve been rotating three guys? Will you do that again or do you want to settle on one guy there?)
I think performance answers those questions. I can’t stand up here and tell you how many reps Brad Jones is going to play as opposed to Frank Zombo. It’s our responsibility to prepare out football team, prepare our players and create opportunities for them, and really their performance dictates play time.

(So it’s not a big deal to you to rotate series for now?)
That’s where we are as a football team. I think it illustrates our health of our team, and it’s been like that since training camp. If we are able to work our way out of that rotation, that would be fine too, because I think it gives you a little more clarity to individuals’ roles, and it would definitely help clean up things for Dom and the defensive staff, and then from that I think it would give us the continuity and consistency you probably would like to obtain from that on special teams. But right now when you have injuries, ours have just come on us so fast, so many so fast in the first four weeks, this is the transition you go through. It’s a challenge.

(Do you like what you’ve seen from Charlie Peprah so far this week?)
Charlie’s not 100 percent yet. I’m hoping to watch the film today and feel better than I did yesterday. He’s got the full week to get ready.

(Do you think Nick Collins will be OK?)
I think so. Nick’s played through a lot of tough spots physically, and I think this week will be no different.